Unravelling the phylogenetic relationships of lichenized fungi in Dothideomyceta

We present a revised phylogeny of lichenized Dothideomyceta (Arthoniomycetes and Dothideomycetes) based on a combined data set of nuclear large subunit (nuLSU) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) rDNA data. Dothideomyceta is supported as monophyletic with monophyletic classes Arthoniomycetes and Dothideomycetes; the latter, however, lacking support in this study. The phylogeny of lichenized Arthoniomycetes supports the current division into three families: Chrysothrichaceae (Chrysothrix), Arthoniaceae (Arthonia s.lat., Cryptothecia, Herpothallon), and Roccellaceae (Chiodecton, Combea, Dendrographa, Dichosporidium, Enterographa, Erythrodecton, Lecanactis, Opegrapha, Roccella, Roccellographa, Schismatomma, Simonyella). The widespread and common Arthonia caesia is strongly supported as a (non-pigmented) member of Chrysothrix. Monoblastiaceae, Strigulaceae, and Trypetheliaceae are supported as unrelated, monophyletic clades within Dothideomycetes. Also, the genera Arthopyrenia (Arthopyreniaceae) and Cystocoleus and Racodium (Capnodiales) are confirmed as Dothideomycetes but unrelated to each other. Mycomicrothelia is shown to be unrelated to Arthopyrenia s.str. but is supported as monophyletic clade sister to Trypetheliaceae, which is supported by hamathecium characters. The generic concept in several groups needs revision, as indicated by non-monophyly of genera, such as Arthonia, Astrothelium, Cryptothecia, Cryptothelium, Enterographa, Lecanactis, Opegrapha, and Trypethelium in our analyses